IELTS Listening

March 2007 - January 2008

(Contact: Dr Richard Badger)

Funded By: IELTS

Abstract - Page 1 | Reference - Page 2

Abstract - Page 1

This study investigates whether there are differences between the strategies used by native speakers/ expert users of English and learners of English who are native speakers of Chinese when they take an IELTS Listening Test. Twenty four native speakers of Chinese, twelve pre-undergraduate and twelve pre-postgraduate, at an IELTS level for the Listening paper of between 5.5 and 6.5 and eight native speakers of English, three undergraduates, three masters level and two doctoral, took a sample listening test (Jakeman and McDowell, 2006). Data were collected using a think aloud protocol and then analyzed using a framework based on Goh (2002) adapted to include particular features of the data sets on a grounded approach (Glaser and Strauss, 1967, Glaser, 1992, Senior, 2006). This produced a three level system of coding, with an initial distinction between cognitive and meta-cognitive strategies, each of which was divided into sub-strategies and then again into the tactics used to carry out the strategies. The result of Independent measure 2-tailed t-test revealed there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of strategy use. At the level of sub-strategy there were differences on two out of thirteen metacognitive strategies. At the level of tactic there were significant differences for seven tactics (two cognitive and five meta-cognitive) out of fifty eight at p≤0.005. This suggests that the strategies and tactics adopted by native and non-native speakers of English in the IELTS are not significantly different. We also examined the differences between the twelve pre-undergraduate and twelve pre-postgraduate Chinese native participants but found no significant differences at strategy, sub-strategy or tactical levels. The paper discusses possible reasons for the results based on the present findings from the present findings.

Abstract - Page 1 | Reference - Page 2

This project last updated by Richard Badger on 23rd June 2009.